What exactly does it mean when Christ accuses the Pharisees of abandoning the commandments of God in favor of traditions of men? What are the implications for us? Karlo Broussard explores the proper place for “traditions of men.” Cy Kellett: Karlo Broussard, apologist here at Catholic Answers. Thanks for being with us. Karlo Broussard: Cy Kellet, thanks for having me. Cy Kellett: It’s always good when you’re here for focus. Karlo Broussard: Amen to that. Cy Kellett: And o...
Aug 24, 2022
The term transubstantiation has been used for centuries within the Church but does it actually men? William Albrecht, co-author of The Secret History of Transubstantiation joins us to explore its true meaning. …
Aug 17, 2022
Every so often the debate over Mary having other children comes up. Tim Staples, author of Behold Your Mother, joins us to debunk this claim. Cy Kellett: Tim Staples, Catholic apologist. Thank you for being with us on Catholic Answers Focus. Tim Staples: It is great to be with you, Cy Kellett. Cy Kellett: I stress Catholic apologist because I want to challenge you a bit on a Catholic belief. Tim Staples: Uh-oh. Am I in trouble? Cy Kellett: I’m going to challenge you with the Bible, and thi...
Aug 10, 2022
Tik Tok seems pretty sure that the God of the ancient Hebrews had a wife, an idea that perhaps would debunk the Jewish story of covenant with the One Lord God. We asked Jimmy Akin, author of The Bible Is a Catholic Book to evaluate the merits of the whole “God had a wife” idea. Cy Kellett: Senior apologist, Jimmy akin. Thanks very much for being here with us on Catholic Answers Focus. Jimmy Akin: My pleasure, Cyril Kellett, host of Catholic Answers Focus. Cy Kellett: Also, I should say, host of ...
Aug 03, 2022
Have you seen the recent images from the James Webb Telescope? Catholic convert and Harvard astrochemist, Karin Öberg joins us to examine the recent images and what they tell us about God, the beginnings of our universe, and bug people. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. Recently, we all got to see some magnificent images from a magnificent piece of technology, the James Webb Telescope. Out there in ...
Jul 27, 2022
Seventh Day Adventists claim that the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday centuries after the life of Jesus. Joe Heschmeyer, author of The Early Church was the Catholic Church, joins us to debunk this claim. Cy Kellett: Apologist, Joe Heschmeyer, thank you for being here with us on Catholic Answers Focus. Joe Heschmeyer: The pleasure is mine. Cy Kellett: You want to talk about the Sabbath? Joe Heschmeyer: Yeah, lets. Cy Kellett: It seems very straightforward, and yet it’s a matter ...
Jul 20, 2022
What do Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, and Jesse Duplantis have in common? They all promote a form of Christianity that preaches a good and easy life. Tim Staples breaks down the reasons why the prosperity gospel is dangerous and exposes the pitfalls of this theology. Cy Kellet: Tim Staples, Catholic Apologist, thanks for being with us. Tim Staples: It is great to be with you, Cy Kellet. Cy Kellet: I want to talk to you about the prosperity gospel. And this is something that really is big. The p...
Jul 13, 2022
Is hell empty? Michael Lofton joins us to answer the question that seems to be surrounded by controversy in many Catholic circles. Cy Kellett: Will hell ever be empty? Michael Lofton is next. Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host confessing to you that one of the hardest things to defend is hell. It’s a very unpleasant thought. It certainly doesn’t comport with our modern...
Jul 06, 2022
Former inmates often struggle adjusting to everyday life. In this episode, we talk to Joe Gilbreath, founder of RiseUp Industries and Mike Lucero on bringing hope to those adjusting to life after prison. riseupindustries.org Cy Kellett: Taking Jesus seriously about visiting prisoners. Folks from Rise Up Industries, next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. And today a s...
Jul 01, 2022
With the Supreme Court weighing in on abortion, all the old pro-choice arguments are being dragged out again, and they haven’t gotten any stronger. Trent Horn breaks down some of them with us. Cy Kellett: Are clever pro-choice arguments really that clever? Trent Horn is next. Cy Kellett: Hello and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host, and we’re joined by Trent Horn this time. And Tr...
Jun 29, 2022
BONUS EPISODE God Is Present to You For the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 24), Sister Regina Marie Gorman reflects with us on the ways God remains ever-present to us. The joy of that presence is the key to every life. Cy Kellett: Is it really possible to live in intimacy with God? Sister Regina Marie Gorman is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. I had ...
Jun 27, 2022
PETA has an ongoing campaign against “speciesism,” saying humans have no right to use animals. But is speciesism—even though it sounds like “racism” or “sexism”—really such a bad thing? Cy Kellett: Is being a speciesist as bad as being a racist? Dr. Logan Gage is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. And one of the things that we...
Jun 22, 2022
Apologist Pat Flynn, from the Philosophy for the People podcast, gets down to basics with us to defend the idea that we can, indeed, know things with certainty. This defense of knowledge helps when we are confronted with the argument that no one really knows anything for sure. Cy Kellett: How can we even know anything? Pat Flynn is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your h...
Jun 15, 2022
It’s common to hear the feast of Pentecost referred to as the birthday of the Church because it marks the day when the Apostolic Church received the Holy Spirit in a definitive and powerful way. But is this the same as birth, or is something else happening at Pentecost? Father Hezekias Carnazzo, founder of the Institute for Catholic Culture, is our guest. Cy Kellett: When exactly was the church born? Father Hezekias Carnazzo is next. Hello, and welcome to Focus the Catholic Answers Podcast...
Jun 08, 2022
One strategy used by those who want to denigrate the Bible is to say it doesn’t meet Christian standards of what is acceptable in the media. It’s a clever move, but is it true that the Bible is too sexy and violent for respectable reading? Cy Kellett : Should the Bible be reserved for mature audiences only? Trent Horn is next. Cy Kellett : Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host, and if...
Jun 01, 2022
Some Christians claim that Peter, the man, is not the rock on which Jesus builds his Church, but Peter’s profession of faith is. Actually, no. Apologist Suan Sonna explains why. Cy Kellett: Did Jesus really found the Catholic church with a pun? Suan Sonna is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. And if you engage at all in defending the Catholic faith, one of...
May 25, 2022
An argument has been spreading that Francis is not the pope because Benedict retained some of the papal powers. We ask apologist Michael Lofton to explain the munus/ministerium debate. Cy Kellett: What about the theory that Pope Benedict resigned only part of the papacy? Apologist Michael Lofton is next. Cy Kellett: Hello and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host, and our guest this time is Apo...
May 18, 2022
Ever wished for a killer proof to convince all of Twitter that God exists? Logan Gage, head of the philosophy department at Franciscan University, says there is actually a better strategy. Maybe just point to the variety of evidence, and help others to see it. Cy Kellett: I know you want it, but you don’t need that one killer argument to prove God’s existence. Dr. Logan Gage is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding and d...
May 11, 2022
Chris Check, president of Catholic Answers, joins us for a Cinco de Mayo bonus episode to discuss some of the struggles faced by the Catholic Church in 20th Century Mexico. It’s a dramatic story with astonishing heroes and heroines, and nasty villains, one of whom called himself, “The personal enemy of God.” …
May 05, 2022
It looks like Roe v. Wade is finally about to be overruled. What does it mean that the news has been leaked? What does the draft decision say? Joe Heschmeyer joins us to discuss what appears to be very happy news. Cy Kellett: Apparently, Roe v. Wade will be overturned. Joe Heschmeyer is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. Thank you so much for being with us. Cy K...
May 04, 2022
Good apologetics is not just a quest to have the right answer. It is, instead, one tool in a larger struggle to win souls. This means that it involves spiritual battle. Our guest, Dan Burke, explains spiritual battle for apologists. Cy Kellett: You want to defend the church? Don’t neglect your own spiritual life. Dan Burke is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett your hos...
Apr 27, 2022
Catholics can use to Scripture to defend the fact that Jesus empowered the Church with a permanent magisterium, but our guest, Suan Sonna, says we should also just use some common sense when we explain the magisterium to Protestant Christians. Cy Kellett: Does the church actually have the authority to speak for Jesus? Suan Sonna is next. Cy Kellett: Hello and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. And one of the things that we...
Apr 20, 2022
Rod Bennett’s new book, These Twelve, helps us see Jesus’ mission through the eyes of the Apostles. For Holy Week, Bennett reflects on what the Apostle’s experienced as Jesus continued to teach them even as he suffered his passion. Cy Kellett: Holy Week through the eyes of the apostles. Rod Bennett is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host, and for ...
Apr 13, 2022
Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson share a few thoughts on what makes a good “faith” movie as we discuss their excellent new film Father Stu. After that we get the lowdown on the real Father Stu from his friend and fellow priest Father Bart Tolleson. Cy Kellett: Finally a great movie about the priesthood. Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson and Father Bart Tolleson, next. Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, ...
Apr 11, 2022
Agnostics say they just don’t know the answer to life’s biggest question. Pat Flynn, Host of Philosophy for the People, says that, while agnostics make some good points, their decision not to decide is ultimately a mistake. Cy Kellett: Hey, let’s face it. Agnostics make some strong points. Pat Flynn is next. Hello, and welcome to Focus, The Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. Thanks so much for b...
Apr 06, 2022
A debate is raging within Catholicism over the legitimacy of modern liberalism. R.R. Reno, editor of First Things magazine, stops by to help us understand the stakes in the debate. Cy Kellet: Modern ideas about freedom are not setting people free. Catholics are debating what to do about it. R.R. Reno is next. Cy Kellet: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers Podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m psych Kelly, your host. First Things is a big dea...
Mar 30, 2022
Is it really true that if you’re not angry you’re not paying attention? Joe Heschmeyer, author of The Early Church Was the Catholic Church, explains why anger at modern problems is not always a virtue. Cy Kellett: Ever hear phrases like, “If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention?” Joe Heschmeyer challenges those ideas next. Cy Kellett: Hello and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. Joe Heschme...
Mar 23, 2022
Is there a wrong way to have a baby? Stephanie Gray Connors, author of Conceived by Science explains the human rights issues with in vitro fertilization. Cy Kellet: Everybody loves a baby, but is IVF a moral way to get one? Stephanie Gray Connors is next. Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. The better we get at reproductive technology, biological technology, the finer the distinctions become that we need to make....
Mar 16, 2022
Atheists get the big thing wrong, but that doesn’t mean they get everything wrong. Karlo Broussard, author of Prepare the Way, explains why Catholics and atheists can agree on some important insights about God. Cy Kellett: Actually, atheists get a lot of stuff right. Karlo Broussard is next. Cy Kellett: Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding, and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. We’re going to understand our ...
Mar 09, 2022
Michael Lofton of the Reason and Theology podcast shares his experience of leaving Catholicism for Orthodoxy and eventually returning. He explains why he concluded he needed to be in communion with the pope, and why every Christian should. Cy Kellett: Is the grass greener in the Orthodox Church? Michael Lofton next. Hello, and welcome to Focus, the Catholic Answers podcast for living, understanding and defending your Catholic faith. I’m Cy Kellett, your host. This week, we welcome Michael ...
Mar 02, 2022
